PUNE, November 25: The director of the Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies (SIMS) for defence personnel and their dependents (SIMS) A Balasubramaniam was released on bail by the judicial magistrate first class Chitra Ram Honkare, on Sunday evening. Balasubramaniam had earlier been booked by the Deccan Gymkhana police for allegedly molesting a first year post-graduate diploma student of the institute on November 23.

Meanwhile, the Stree Adhar Kendra (SAK), which has taken up the cause on behalf of the victim, has alleged that the accused is being protected by vested interests.

Addressing a hurriedly-convened press conference yesterday, Kendra chairperson Dr Neelam Gorhe demanded that the case should be immediately brought up before the inquiry committee appointed by the institute for speedy delivery of justice. According to the victim's guardians, those students who were among the agitators and had lodged complaints against the director were beginning to feel the heat and were already being subtly discriminated against in the institute. The family members of the victim also allege that all attempts to meet the director of Symbiosis Dr S B Majumdar have failed.

Dr Gorhe demanded that representatives of non-government organisations and reputed members of the legal fraternity be included in the inquiry panel of the institute.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.